Voice controlled cursor movement

- Dragon Systems, Inc.

An element (e.g., a location pointer in a windowed graphical user interface) shown on a computer display is moved toward a target position. A user's input is recognized which identifies a subregion of the display in which the target position is located. The element is moved discontinuously to a location within the identified subregion. Then a next user's input is recognized which identifies a sub-subregion of the subregion of the display in which the target position is located. The element is moved discontinuously to a location within the identified sub-subregion. In another aspect, an element is dragged between two locations on a computer display. User commands are accepted which indicate the two locations. Then the element is dragged between them. The user commands identify a sequence of discontinuous jumps for moving the element to the indicated location.

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Claims

1. A method of moving an element shown on a computer display toward a target position, comprising

a. displaying a first visual element that defines subregions of the display,
b. recognizing a user's input identifying a subregion of the display in which the target position is located,
c. moving the element discontinuously to a location within the identified subregion without changing a position on the display at which the identified subregion is displayed, and displaying a second visual element that defines sub-subregions of the identified subregion,
d. recognizing a next user's input identifying a sub-subregion of the subregion of the display in which the target position is located, and
e. moving the element discontinuously to a location within the identified sub-subregion without changing a position on the display at which the identified sub-subregion is displayed.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the subregion is one of a grid of possible subregions which can be identified by the user.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the grid comprises rows and columns of subregions.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein there are three rows and three columns of subregions in the grid.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the first visual element comprises the grid.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the grid is overlaid on other displayed features.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the grid is formed of windows.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the grid spans the entire display.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein the grid spans a user selected portion of the display.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the selected portion comprises a window.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the subregion is rectangular.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the sub-subregion is one of a subgrid of possible sub-subregions which can be identified by the user.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the sub-subregion is rectangular.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the subgrid comprises rows and columns of subregions.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein there are three rows and three columns of sub-subregions in the subgrid.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the second visual element comprises the subgrid.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the first visual element is not displayed when the subgrid is being displayed.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising iterating steps d and e until the user indicates that the method should be ended.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein each subregion is associated with an index.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the index of each subregion is displayed.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein each sub-subregion is associated with an index.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the index of each sub-subregion is displayed.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the user's input is entered by voice commands.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the subregions are marked with arbitrary labels and the user designates a subregion by saying one of the labels.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the labels comprises letters of the alphabet.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the labels are ABC/DEF/GHI or.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein the voice commands include numbers used to indicate the subregion and the sub-subregion.

28. The method of claim 1 further comprising

recognizing a user's input specifying a distance for moving the element, and
moving the element the specified distance.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein the element comprises a location pointer in a windowed graphical user interface.

30. The method of claim 1 wherein the element is moved to the center of the identified subregion.

31. The method of claim 1 further comprising

after step e, recognizing a user's input indicating that the previous step should be undone, and
in response, returning to step a.

32. The method of claim 1 further comprising

using steps a through e to mark a location from which or to which dragging is to occur, and
causing dragging from or to the marked location.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein the first visual element comprises a grid that divides the display into subregions.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the second visual element comprises a grid that divides the identified subregion into sub-subregions.

35. A method of moving an element shown on a computer display toward a target position, comprising

recognizing a user's voiced input identifying an index of a rectangular subregion of the display in which the target position is located, the subregion being one of a grid of nine possible subregions which are displayed to and may be identified by the user,
b. moving the element discontinuously to a location within the identified subregion without changing a position on the display at which the identified subregion is displayed, and displaying a subgrid that defines nine rectangular sub-subregions of the identified subregion,
c. recognizing a next user's voiced input identifying an index of a rectangular sub-subregion of the subregion of the display in which the target position is located, the sub-subregion being from the subgrid of nine possible sub-subregions which are displayed to and can be identified by a user,
d. moving the element discontinuously to a location within the identified sub-subregion without changing a position on the display at which the identified sub-subregion is displayed.

36. Apparatus for moving an element shown on a computer display toward a target position, comprising

a recognition device which recognizes a user's input identifying a subregion of the display in which the target position is located and a next user's input identifying a sub-subregion of the subregion of the display in which the target position is located,
a display controller which moves the element discontinuously to a location within the identified subregion without changing a position on the display at which the identified subregion is displayed, displays a visual element that defines sub-subregions of the subregion, and moves the element discontinuously to a location within the identified sub-subregion without changing a position on the display at which the identified sub-subregion is displayed.
Referenced Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
4677569 June 30, 1987 Nakano et al.
4726065 February 16, 1988 Froessl
4776016 October 4, 1988 Hansen
4811243 March 7, 1989 Racine
5377303 December 27, 1994 Firman
5386494 January 31, 1995 White
5408582 April 18, 1995 Colier
Foreign Patent Documents
0294657 December 1988 EPX
0604340 June 1994 EPX
Other references
  • Electronic mail message dated Feb. 6, 1995. "Mouse Positioning," Internet Article, dated Feb. 6, 1995.
Patent History
Patent number: 5818423
Type: Grant
Filed: Aug 18, 1997
Date of Patent: Oct 6, 1998
Assignee: Dragon Systems, Inc. (Newton, MA)
Inventors: Patri J. Pugliese (Medford, MA), Joel M. Gould (Winchester, MA)
Primary Examiner: Regina Liang
Law Firm: Fish & Richardson P.C.
Application Number: 8/912,751
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: Cursor Mark Position Control Device (345/157); 345/145; Speech Controlled System (704/275)
International Classification: G09G 508;